This
work theoretically assessed the necessary and sufficient conditions
for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a binary gas mixture
when this mixture exhibits either intersecting or nonintersecting
single gas isotherms. The thermodynamically consistent dual process
Langmuir (DPL) model with equal component i saturation
capacities q
i,j
s
on site j and the general DPL model with nonequal q
i,j
s
on site j were used for this purpose. Analytical expressions derived
for both DPL models, in terms of the single gas isotherm DPL model
parameters, were used to find examples or to determine theoretically
when an adsorption azeotrope forms in a binary gas mixture for both
intersecting and nonintersecting single gas isotherms. For the general
DPL model, it was determined that neither necessary nor sufficient
conditions exist for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a
binary gas mixture. This means that an adsorption azeotrope can form
irrespective of whether the corresponding single gas isotherms intersect
or not. For the thermodynamically consistent DPL model, it was determined
that the intersection of the single gas isotherms is a sufficient
condition for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a binary
gas mixture, but it is not a necessary condition. This means that
intersecting single gas isotherms guarantee the formation of an adsorption
azeotrope in the corresponding binary gas mixture, while nonintersecting
single gas isotherms can also result in the formation of an adsorption
azeotrope in the corresponding binary gas mixture. Overall, this analysis
provides a well-posed resolution to the question of necessity and
sufficiency for the formation of adsorption azeotropes in binary gas
mixtures and the intersection of their corresponding single gas isotherms
based on two physically sound formulations of the very popular DPL
model.